Prosecutors said Bryant was witnessed taking the statuette before being detained near an exit.

A since-removed video selfie on Bryant’s Facebook appeared to show him dressed in a tuxedo having praise lavished on him after courting congratulations while clutching the award and dressed in a tuxedo.

“Look it, baby. My team got this tonight. This is mine,” he said, before planting a kiss on the Oscar’s head.

Bryant was also captured on video leaving the ball while brandishing the award to photographers, one of whom confronted him after not recognising him as a winner.

Police said he handed the bronze statue back without a struggle and was arrested.

Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said he faces up to three years in jail if convicted and that a 20,000-dollar (£14,400) bail had been requested.

McDormand, 60, won her second best actress Oscar with Martin McDonagh’s Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

Her publicist said she celebrated being “happily reunited” with the bronze statuette with a double cheeseburger from California’s In-N-Out Burger chain.